Improvement in revolving-battery guns



R. J. GATLING. REVOLVING BATTERY GUN.-

' 8 Shee'ts-Sheet l.

Patented Feb.*28, 1871.

3 Sh @ets-Sheet 2.

B.. J. GATLING.' RBvoLVING BATTERY GUN.

3 Sh eats- Sheet 3.

R. J. GATLING. RBVOLVING BATTERY GUN.

Patented Peb. 28, 1871.

MHIIIIII tienta RICHARD JORDAN GATLING, OF INDIANAPOLIS, INDIANA.

Leners Peteur Ne. 112,138, dated February 2s, 1871.

IMPROVEMENT IN REVOLV|NGBATTERV'GUNS.

The Schedule referred to in these Letters Patent and making part of the same.

-and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification.

rlhis invention relates to certain improvements in the continuous acting revolving-battery gun for which Letters Patent for the United States, numbered 47,631, were granted to me ou the 9th day of May, 1865.

The object of this present invention is to perfect .the mechanism described in the aforesaid Letters Patent in such manner that more satisfactory oper. ation, greater strength and durability, and simpler construction, will be obtained.

The invention consists, chieily,in making the coc-king-cani laterally adjustable, so that-the same may, while experiments are made with the gun, without iring the same, be drawn out, to not snap the locks, and that it may also be easily set in to operate the locks when firing is to be carried on. The cookingcam is also made longitudinally adjustable for the purpose of varying thereby the force of the spring which operates the lock-hammer. Some kinds of cartridges are made ot' thicker metal than others, and require, consequently, stronger blows, in order to explode their i'ulminates. It is, therefore, very essential that the blow should be regulated in accordance with the material of which the cartridges are made.

The invention consists, also, in pcribrating the cascabel-plate and the back diaphragm in the outer casing, and in closing the apertures through both these plates by a removable plug, for the purpose of enabling the removal and reinsertiou ot' either one or more ot' thc locks without requiring the cascabel-plate to be taken oi. rlhe repair or inspectionof all parts of the gun is thereby considerably facilitated.

rIhe invention consists, further, in enlarging the diameters of the movable locksat their front ends, so that the said locks will be of equal diameter througln out their entire lengths, whereby greater strength and durability are obtained, and in correspondingly increasing the apertures in the front end ofthe lock-cylinder for the passage of such enlarged locks.

Finally, the invention consists in the use of' convenient devices for automatically opening the feedbox which contains the cartridges as soon as the same is inserted in the hopper.

In the accompanying drawing- Figure 1 represents a plan or top view ot my battery-gun., i

Figure 2 is a side View of' the same.

Figure 3V is a front elevation, partly lin section, ot the same.

Figure l is a rear elevation, partly in section, of` thc saine, without the cascabel-plate` Figure 5 is a detail side view, on an enlarged scale, of one of the locks.

'Figure 6 is a detail front end view of the saine.

Figure 7 is a longitudinal section of thc same, thc plane of section being indicated by the linexx, tig. 5. lFigure 8 is a transverse section ot' the same, taken on the-'plane of the line y y, iig. 7.

Figure 9 is a detail side viewjot` the double-lever extractor-hook.

Figure 10 is a detail sideA view of the cartridge feedbox.

Figure 11 is a horizontal longitudinal section of the Figure 12 is a detail longitudinal section of the breech-ease.

Figure 13 is a plan view of the cooking mechanism.

Figure 14 is a transverse section of the saine.

Figure 15 is a side view of the cascabel-pine,

Figure 16 is a top view oil the saine section oi' the same.

Figure 17 is a front view of the carrienbloclc, lock. cylinder, hopper, and feed-box, the lat-ter being in section. l

Figure 18 is a detail t 'ausverse section of the feedbox land hopper.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

A in the drawing represents the axial or main shaft of the gun.

It is journaled at its front end in a transverse bar, in, of the supporting-irame-B, and near its rear end in the partition or diaphragm l) of thc stationary cylindrical breech-case G.

The breech-case U has at its sides longitudinal projecting ribs c c, which rest upon and are supported by the side bars oi' the frame B, and which serve to hold the said case stationary.

The frame B has, at or near the middle of thegun, downwardly-projecting arms l el, which hohl under the gun a horizontal plate or turn-table, e, as is clearly shown in iigs. 2 and 3.

'Ihe plate e is, by a verticalY pin or bolt, f, piyotcd to a plate, g, which has at its sides the projecting trunnions It.

The trunnions are hung into a suitable gun-carriage. Around the pinfthe gun can be swung horizontally, and on the trunnions vertically.

The vertical adjustment is produced by a screw under the breech endoi'1 the gun, as. usual, while a horizontal screw, i,hung in arms j, that project backward from the plate g, and fitted though a nut, k,

serves to adjust the gun horizontally around the`pin f.'

11- is t-he rear sight, secured upon the case C or upon the cascabel-plate D, which is screwed to the same.

The shaft A has two flanges, o p, one in f'ro'nt, somewhat behind the bar lm., and the other near the middle.

In these flanges are secured the barrels E E.

'lhe barrels are with ltheir rear ends screwed into the rear flange 1), as in fig. 1l, where their front ends are fitted loose through apertures in the frontflange o, to be merely supported by the same.

The flanges o p are firmly secured to the shaft A, so that they will revolve with the same and carry the barrels around with it.

rlhere are six barrels shown in the drawing. Any other suitable number may, however, be employed.

Directly iu rear of the flange p is mounted, upon the shaft A, the carrier-block F, which is' to receive the cartridges from the feed-box.

rlhis' block has as many longitudinal grooves g g as there are barrels E, one groove in liue'with each barrel. lhe grooves are of' suitable form, preferably as in fig. 17, and should be zulaptedl to the form of cartridges employed.

The grooves are so set that a cartridge placed into one of' them can, by longitudinal motion of'a rammer or rod from behind, be conveniently pushed-into the barrel pertaining thereto, the locks forming such rammers, as hereinafter more fully described.

Directly in rear of' the carrier-block F is mounted, upon the sha-ft A, theloclceylimler G, which, with its front end, is about in line with the case C, while its length is about half that of the said case.

The cylinder G has as many longitmlinal perfora- I tions as there are barrels, and the axes of' such perforations ale in line with the grooves g in F, and' of the barrels.

The perforations in the cylinder are entirely cylindrical, that is to say, of equal diameters from end to end, to receive the locks H H, which are also of' cylindrical form, as indicated in fig. 7,.`

,Directly in rear of' the lock-cylinder G is screwed, upon the shal't A, a nut, I, which serves to firmly secure the flange p, carrier F, and cylinder G together,

and which, when withdrawn, permits their removal from the shaft.

Between the nut I and the diaphragm b' of the case C is arranged the stationary cam J, by which the locks are longitudinally adjusted in the cylinder G. This cam is firmly secured in thc case (l, so that it will remain stationary with the same, while the shaft A with the nutI and its other appendages is free to revolve. The cam is of' annular form, and 4surrounds the nut I, as shown in fi". 1l, by which arrangement considerable room is economized.

Between the diaphragm b and the cascabel-plate' D ismounted, upon the extreme rear end of' thejshaf't A, a wor|n-wheel, L, whose diameter is not larger than` that of the carrie `-block F, so that an aperture may he made through the diaphragm for reaching the locks.

A worm, 'r, formed on a transverse shaft, s, that is hung in'thc rear part ot" the case A, engagesI in the teeth of' the wheel L, as in fig. el..

By means of a crank, t, on said shaft' s, the same can be readily revolved, and will thereby also revolve the shaft .A and all the appendages ofl the same, to wit, the uut I, cylinder G, block F, flanges 0' p, and barrels E, the latter revolving around and with the shaft A, but not around their own'axes.

The locks H are of' the following constructiom' Each'lock is madein form of' a cylindrical shell,

ward and forward.

slightly longer than the combined length of' the cylinder G and block F. The front part of each `lock is nearly solid, having only a small longitudinal central bore for the reception of the firing-pin u. '.lhe rear part of' the lock, however, forms-a cylindrical chamber for the reception ofthe hammer-spring v, as is clearly shown in fig. 7.

rlhe tiring-pin u is, with its rear end, doretailed and" firmly securedinto a rod, w, which is called the lockhammer.

The spring o bears with its rear end against a shoulder, x, of the lock-case H', and with its front end against a shoulder or sleeve, y, of' the lock-hammer, it4 having, therefore, thc tendency to push the lock-hammer forward, so that the front end ot' the tiring-pin -will project from the front end of' the lock H, as in figs. 5 and 7.

When the lock-hammer is thus pushed forward its shoulder y rests against a f'ront inner shoulder, z, of the shell H, as shown.

Frein the shoulder y projects through the side of' the shell H, and also through the cylinder G, a lug, af, which is acted upon by the cooking ya`1'iparatns, as hereinafter more fully described.

In order to permit the longitudinal motion of the llock-hammer and firing-pin, and consequently, also,

that of the lug a. the lock I-I and cylinder G must both be longitudinally slotted to let the lug pass back- Each lock H is therefore longitudinally slotted, and the cylinder has as many slots ot' equal length as there are locks and barrels.

On the rear end of' each lock H is a projecting ear, 7)', -which fits into the double inclined or spiral groove or channel of' the stationary cam J, and which, as

the cylinder G is revolved with the locks, slides in said inclined or spiral groove, 'and causes the required reciprocating motion of the locks by which the cart--l ridges are forced into the barrels, the breech ends of' of thc cartridge` vand is first mwved hack, and then,

owing to the inclined front edge of thc hook h,rswung up and cov-ers the said collar, so 'that the latter is engaged by the hook. l

When the lock is moved back again by the cam J, the hook draws the cartridgcshcll back with it, but the bar M is first drawn forward on 'the lock to fit the inclined edge of' the ear g against that of' its recess, asin fig. 17. Thereby-the bar M is locked down so that it cannot `Spring up to again releasethe cartridge-shell; The latter is thereby safely withdrawn from thebarrel. l

rlhe slot of' the ear c' is therefore of' great importance, as by its means the retmctor-bar can be locked down to retain the cartridge-shell, and again liberated to' let the hook swing over the head ot' the cartridge.

The extractor shown in fig. 9 consists of a lever, M', and spring-holder a. The latter is secured in a. groove of the lock, and tits with its inclined front end under the rear arm of the lever M.

The lever is, by a pin, b, pivotedv to the lock, the said pivot passing through a longitudinal slot in an car, c" of' the. lever. The Vslot allows slight longitudinal play to the lever M when the saine Strikes the cartridgefhead, and wheiy it commences to withdraw the shell.

The spring holds its shook h. over the flange of :the

shell, and 'prevents it from slipping of`i`, permitting it, however, to swing while it engages said shoulder.

The cooking apparatus is more clearly illustrated in figs. 12, 13, and 14. It is mainly an inclined or `spiral plate, N, arranged on the inner side of the breechcase C, so that the lug c', when the lock is moved forward, may be arrested by the same, and the spring 'v gradually contracted and the tiring-pin drawn back into the lock-shell H.

When the lug a passes the end of the stationary plate N, it is suddenly released, and the spring c with it, causing the latter to expand and to suddenly and violently force the tiring-pin forward against thc cartridge to explode the same.

The plate N is stationary on the case C, while the lugs a' revolve with the cylinder G. The plate N will, therefore, act upon the-iring-pins in the several locks successively, -and -will cause the successive discharge of the barrels as the same arrive in line with it.

The plate N may be arranged on. any suitable part of the cylinder G, either above, below, or on either side ofthe shaft A. In the drawing it is represented Y as being on the side et' the cylinder.

In order to permit the lateral adjustment of' the cocking-plate N, the same is secured to a slide, fi', which projects into one of the ribs c, and whichhas an aperture to receive thev eccentric j', on a vertical arbor, l.

The said arbor is ittcd vertically into the rib c, as shown. By turning it, the eccentric will draw the. slide i. in or ont, as may be desired, drawing thereby also the plate N into or out oi' Agear with the several lugs a'.

The arbor can he so opcrated by hand that the plate N can be moved into or out of gear, as may be desired. Thus exercise of the gun by recruits, Sac., is permitted without snapping the locks.

Byrconuectiug the slide with a longitudinal screw, al, which is fitted through ears on the rib c, as in iig. 13, the plate N may be made longitudinally adjustable for the purpose of compressing the springs c to a greater or vlesser degree, and of consequently regulating the force with which the tiring-pin is projected against the cartridge.

A sliding bolt may be arranged on the case for locking the shaft l', and with it the cooking-plate N, in either one of the desired positions.

In order to allowthe removal and insertion of each lock without requiring the removal of the cascabelplate, there is an aperture, n, through the cascabelplate, and in line with the saine a similar aperture, o', through the diaphragm b.

Both these apertures can he closed by a plug, P,

- which is inserted from behind into the plate D, as is clearly shown Yin fic. 11.

The gear-wheel L is made small enough to permit the arrangement of the said apertures a' o', and plug I, in line with thc locks.

The plug carries at its front end a sleeve, p, which has a projecting grooved arm, a, that is fitted into a recess of the cam J, the groove in a'forming a continuation or completion of the groove in said cam, in which the cars b of the locks move.

A nose, lr', on the plug P, locks behind the cascabelplate and holds the plug in place. When the latter is turned to bring the nose r into line with a notch, s', that enlargcs the aperture n of the cascabel-plate, (tic. 11,) the plug can be withdrawn. Thereby the apcrtnrncs a' o are opened, and each lock as it arrives in line with the saine can be withdrawn and reinserted. The repair and inspection of the locks are' thereby facilitated, and the gun can be ykept in perfect repair while inservice, without. requiring the removal of the heavierl parts.

In order to facilitate the removal of the plug, P

that is to sav, the turning of' the same, a lever may be attached to the end ol thc plug, to i'orm a crank on the same.

Upon the frame B is secured a curved pla-te, R, which covers partly the carrier-block F, and which, at its outer upper end has a hopper, S, formed on it, i'or the reception-of the feed-box T, which is the box containing the cartridges to be fired. I'

The box T is a curved or straight sheet-metal case of suitable height, its widthand length correslmnd ing with that oi' the cart-ridges to Je used.;`

At one end this case has a hinged bottom, t'. which is held closed by a hook on a pivoted level', V, that is acted upon by a spring, u', as in ligs. 17 and 18.

When the case T is inserted into the hopper, the

inner facc oi' the hook c ot' the lever V is moved on an inclined face, w oi' the hopper, so that thc hook is drawn oi the bottom t', causing the same. to drop open, as in iig. 17, and to liberate thc vcartridges W, which will be taken up by the carrier-block hlas the grooves of the same are brought successively under thc case T. A

A lug, x', on the case T, strikes against a nose, f1

of the hopper, when the case has been inserted sniiiciently far.

When afeed-box has been emptied, it isavithdrawn from the hopper and another one put into its place, the empty one being readily relilled to be ready for further use.

I'prefer to have the case T curved, as in lig. 10, and a weight, U, in it, to rest on the cartridges, so that the weight will have less efitct when the case is` full than when the same is nearly empty.

A full box, T, is placed into the hopperS, so that its cartridges will be liberated. The plug l. is putand locked into the cascabel-plate and diaphragm, so that its iiange s" abuts against the. face oi' the cascabel-plate.

The cooking-plate N is put into gear to act on the lugs a', aud the shalt sis revolved. The cart 'ridges are thereby successively fed into the grooves of the carrier-block F.

As soon as a groove, q, has been filled, the lock II in line with it is gradually moved forward by the cam J, and the cartridge pushedfinto thc barrel E, pertaining te and in line with such lock.

. Vlheu'al cartridge has been fully inserted, the breechend 0i' lthe barrel is closed by the lock H, and then the firing-pin is violently thrown ibrward by the spring v, toY explode the fulminate in the cartridge, and by the same ignite the charge. i

While `the lock was being pushed forward, the lug a' was detained by and moved along on the cookingplate N, whereby the spring o was compressed-and the firing-pin drawn into the shell H.

` At the same that the lock H closed the breech of the balrcl the lug a' passed the.plate N and liberated the tiring-pin, which was propelled as stated.

NVhile the lock passed torward to close the breech` i of the barrel, the hook ofthe reti-actor M was slipped over thc head of the cartridge, and remained in that position during .the operation oi' tiring.

After firing the lock is gradually drawn back by thc cam J, and the hook ot' M draws the empty cartridgd shell back with it.

Another lock, barrel, and cartridge arrive in line with the cooking-plate N, and are 'acted upon as aforesaid. y

1When a lock is out of order and firing can be ceased, the plug P is taken out and the sliaft A turned until such damaged lock arrives in line with the apertures n o', when the same can be withdrawn and repaired, and a new lock put into its place.

\Vhenevcr, during the revolution of the shaft A, a lock, 1-1, is quite drawn back, a cartridge drops into the groove g in front of it.

Having thus described my invention,

I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Pat ent- 1. The cooking-plate or cam N, arranged laterally adjustable in the breech-case of the gun, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

2. The arbor Z', eccentric j', and slide i', in combination with the laterally-adjustable cooking-plate N, all arranged as set forth.

3. The cooking-plate N, arranged longitudinally, adjustable to permit the regulation of the tiringspring c, 'as set forth.

4. The perforated cascabel-plate D, in combination with the perforated diaphragm-plate b, relatively constructed and arranged, as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The plug P, iu combination with the perforated vcascabel-plate D, and perforated diaphragm-plate 1),.

all relatively constructed and arranged as and for the purpose heretofore specified.

6. The worm-gear or its'equivalent, of less diameter than the circle described by the locks, in combination with the pert'orations in the diaphragm and cascabel-plate, to permit the remval ofthe locks, in the manner audt for the purpose described.

7. The plug P, having the lug and ring with lip projection, the latter having an inner transverse groove in which fthe rear lugs of the locks work when the gun is revolved, the said plug not being designed to receive any part of the force of the charge, but used with its appendages for the purpose of preventing the locks from working forward or backward at the time they are passing the slot in the rear cam, and the perforation in the diaphragm 'during the revolution of the gear, all as described.

8. The cylindrically-tbrmed locks H, working in uniformsized perfomtions, made hmgtmlinally and entirely through a revolving lock-cylinder, in contradistinetion to locks and perfomtions reduced in diameter at their front parts, as shown and described in my patent dated August 9, 1865.

9. The lever V, acted upon by the spring u' to hold the bottom t closed, and allow it to be automatically opened when its lower part comes in contact with the hopper, in combination with the feed-box T, for the use and purpose specified. p

10. The nut I, arranged on the shaft; A, to hold the carrier-block F and cylinder G in place, and to act as guide for the looks, substantially as specified.

RICHARD J. GATLING. Witnesses: y

H. CLAY,

THOMAS L. SULLIVAN. 

